


Chicken Soup For the Bardic Soul

by misura



Category: Bedlam's Bard - Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Domestic, Multi, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 17:33:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5506643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Eric comes down with a cold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chicken Soup For the Bardic Soul

**Author's Note:**

  * For [masterofmidgets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/masterofmidgets/gifts).



> I was so, so disappointed to not see this fandom in the collection yet.
> 
> so here's a treat, for having great taste in nostalgic OT3 fandoms! <3

The moment Eric opened his eyes, he knew it was not going to be a good day. _Great. Just what I needed._ Yesterday, he had still been able to tell himself that it would pass, that if he simply managed to get through the day, he'd feel better tomorrow.

Beth had shot him a few suspicious looks already, but she hadn't actually said anything - at least, not to Eric, and Eric didn't think that she'd have talked to Kory, either. Kory hadn't seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary.

_Probably, elves just don't get colds. Only us poor mortals. Likely as not, he's never even_ seen _anyone with a cold before._ He felt a sneeze building.

_Well. I guess that is about to change._

 

"I feel fine," Eric insisted. "Honestly, Beth." He couldn't help but think that he probably would have stood a far better chance of convincing her if his nose hadn't been dripping.

"You look ill, Bard," Kory said solemnly.

_All right, time to change strategies._ With Beth, Eric could have argued. When Kory started using that tone on someone, though, there was no chance of victory. _Well, not unless you're Beth._

"It's just a stupid cold. No reason why I can't still go out for a while and play." Beth looked skeptical; Kory's expression was still the same as when he had made his earlier pronouncement. "Guys. You know we need the money."

Beth frowned. Kory's grasp on how money worked, and how much of it they needed might still be a bit tenuous at times, but Beth was a sensible lady. _I guess I should have simply opened with that argument. It's not as if she can deny it's true, after all. We_ do _need the money._

"Not that badly," Beth said. "We can manage for a few days."

"Besides," Kory added, before Eric could reply that actually, no they couldn't, "it is clear that your breathing is affected. You will not be able to play very well. I believe the Lady Bethany is in the right of it." _As usual_ remained unspoken.

"It's not _that_ bad." _Yet._ "Only a few hours." If he were honest with himself, 'a few hours' was about all he felt up to, anyway.

Beth and Kory exchanged a look. Eric could see them come to an agreement, and that agreement was _not_ that he was a responsible adult who made sensible, rational decisions.

"The only place you're going after getting some food into you is straight back to bed, boyo," Beth said, rising. "You want to argue some more, how about you do it lying down under some nice, warm blankets? And if you're a very, very good boy, I'll see if I can make you some nice chicken soup later - how's that?"

_Like I don't have much of a choice except shut up and say 'yes, ma'am'._ Eric sighed. "Fine."

 

Contrary to how some people insisted on treating him, Eric was not a fool. _Plus, Beth has a point. Better to spend some time in bed than force things and making it worse. This way, I might be up and about again in another day or so. And Kory was right, too; I'm not going to play at my best in this state._

"Are you comfortable?" Kory hovered in the doorway of the bedroom, his expression a little anxious.

"You can come inside, you know. I'm not _that_ contagious." _At least, I don't think that I am. Can elves even catch colds from humans? Or at all?_

Kory hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside. "I don't want to tire you unnecessarily."

Eric managed what he hoped to be a reassuring smile. "It's only a cold. Right now, I'm mostly just going out of my mind with boredom." _Well, I don't feel_ great _, exactly, but I'd rather talk to Kory than lie here staring at the ceiling. It's a lot less interesting._

"You are suffering from the Winter Sickness," Kory said. "In mortals, that can easily turn into other, more serious illnesses. You should sleep as much as possible, drink liquids and eat some light food."

_Sounds like Beth sat him down for a little talk._

"Ah. We call it a 'cold'." _I suppose that settles the question of whether or not elves can get those._

" _We_ call it the Winter Sickness," Kory said, his tone holding only the mildest of reproofs.

_My bad._ "I don't think that I've ever seen an elf with a cold." It was hard to imagine. Elves generally seemed to be, well, rather perfect. They could get hurt, of course, or injured, but Eric found that he couldn't quite imagine an elf with, say, a bad case of acne. Or a runny nose.

"Danann willing, you never will." Kory reached out to put a hand on his forehead. "It is a rare thing, but not unheard of. Generally, though, the sickness only takes those already weakened in some way."

_Like living on a diet rather lacking in things that are actually good for you, like fresh vegetables and fruits?_

"You are still very hot," Kory noted. "I do not think that you will be recovered as soon as you believe."

"Trust me, if there's one thing I don't feel right now, it's 'very hot'. But I appreciate the effort to cheer me up." Eric grinned.

Beth would have scowled at him for the weak pun before tugging him in and telling him to get some more sleep. Kory just looked a bit confused for a few moments, then seemed to dismiss the comment as the ravings of someone not quite his usual self. _Ah well. It wasn't much of a joke anyway._

He felt his eyes drifting shut, catching a fragment of a melody as Kory removed his hand from his forehead and quietly left the room.

 

When he woke up, for the first few moments, he felt dizzy, disoriented. Then, his nose picked up the scent of something that was definitely not ramen noodles.

_Wait. I can_ smell _things again all of a sudden? When did_ that _happen?_

"Eric? Are you awake?"

_Oh, right. Chicken soup._ He wondered where she had gotten the ingredients. The thought of Beth breaking into their emergency funds just so that Eric could enjoy a nice bowl of soup did not sit well with him. _Then again, this is_ Beth _. Practical, sensible Beth._

"Yes." His voice sounded raspy. _Definitely not in any state to play well enough to make some fast money._ "I'm awake."

Her expression when she came in was a lot like Kory's had been. Eric was a little surprised. Surely _Beth_ would know better than to get anxious over a simple cold. _I've had loads of colds. Everyone has. So why does she look like she's genuinely worried?_

An answer presented itself to him after only a few seconds. _Oh. Money must be even tighter than I assumed. And then here I go and catch myself a cold. Talk about being an inconsiderate idiot._

"Don't bother telling me that you're feeling better already with that voice." Beth smiled.

"I'm sorry." _Yeah. Apologies always fix_ everything _, don't they?_

Beth sighed and shook her head. She was holding a steaming bowl and a spoon. "Get over yourself, Banyon. You think that just because you're a Bard, that means you can't get sick like the rest of us ordinary humans? What, you decided to get a cold just for fun?"

"I ... " _She's right._ "But ... "

She sat down on the bed. "Now, open up and let me get some soup into you."

"How ... "

"I asked Kory." Beth grimaced. "Well, more like he kept offering and I finally stopped telling him 'no'. You're not going to get better on a diet of ramen noodles - not even with Kory's magic to help the healing process along." _Huh. So_ that's _what that was._ "He's not a healer, not really."

There was something about the way she said it that made Eric bolt upright - before sinking back in a hurry as his body made it very clear to him it did not appreciate this sudden movement.

"Is he all right?" _Dear God, please don't let him have gotten hurt on my account. Or even just sick._

"He's fine." Beth patted his shoulder. "He just slept for about five hours. Honestly, I enjoyed how quiet and peaceful this place was all of a sudden."

_He slept for_ five hours _? That doesn't sound to me like he was 'fine'._

Beth lifted the spoon and bowl, and arched a questioning eyebrow.

_Well. I guess that I'd better hurry and get well again as soon as possible._ "If it tastes half as good as it smells, it will be the best thing I've eaten all year."

"Ha," Beth said, which wasn't disagreement, exactly.

 

Eric wondered what sort of song one would use to summon a pan of chicken soup. True, elvish magic wasn't the same as Bardic magic, but the two still had a lot in common. Theoretically, therefore, it had to be possible. _And it would definitely be a big help. Provided Beth would ease up a bit on her strict rules about using magic to make our day-to-day lives more comfortable._

He'd spent the past week sleeping or at least dozing more often than not. His sense of smell had come and gone again, probably because both Beth and Eric had put their foot down about using magic to alleviate Eric's symptoms.

He'd tried very hard not to think about what it meant for their finances, to have him lie in here, costing them money, rather than being out there busking, _earning_ money.

"Stop thinking so much, Banyon. You'll only give yourself a headache."

Beth, wearing a nightie. Eric smiled. "I just wondered if my nurses might allow me to take a brief stroll outside tomorrow."

"Did you now?" Beth came inside. Kory followed, trailing behind her. The elf didn't generally wear pajamas, which was ... not a bad thing, in Eric's opinion. _As long as you accept that you are never going to look quite_ that _good._

"Is this an invasion?" _Well. We do only have one bedroom, and the couch isn't exactly what anyone would call 'comfortable.'._

Beth grinned at him. "Oh, absolutely. Congratulations, Eric. You're officially no longer contagious. Me and Kory thought we might have ourselves a little celebration."

"Nothing that would overtire you, obviously," Kory added quickly. "Only, several of the books the Lady Bethany recommended to me mentioned how important it would be for you to keep warm. With that goal in mind, we have come to ensure that your recovery will proceed quickly and smoothly."

"Also," Beth said, "don't even _think_ about cheating and trying to tell us that you're all better before you actually are. One suspicious sneeze or sniffle and we will know the truth. Our vengeance for any deception on your side will be swift and terrible - or slow and merciless, depending on how bad it is."

Kory's expression was somewhat alarmed. "I do not believe - "

"She's just kidding," Eric said and then, because he couldn't resist: "Mostly."

He'd missed them, he realized, this past week. He'd missed waking up to see Beth still asleep, smiling at some dream she was having. He'd missed Kory's hugs.

_I wonder if he'd let me touch his ears now, if I asked nicely._

_Only one way to find out, I guess._


End file.
